I'll be travelling too, after ten years of not flying anywhere so I have been thinking about this as well. Basically all carry-on items will be inspected and there is not much they will allow. If you have anything in your pockets you will need to empty them at security checkpoints so trying to bring lotions, etc. is just really dumb at this point. They will be taken away immediately.
Trying to take duty free liquors onto the plane will be monitored by flight attendants, do you really think an airline employee is going to let you take a bottle of anything on the plane?

I've recently flown from the UK where there is a restriction on carrying liquids other than those bought in stores in the airport on flights to non-USA countries and a complete ban on liquids of any sort to the USA (and there is an announcement on the PA system about every minute reminding you of this). How do they check for this? Simple - you are scanned and then searched.

If you try to take liquid on board you will not only be prevented from doing so but also you will probably be invited to have a little chat with the security officers.

A couple of things for anyone travelling in the next few weeks:

(1) if you have a restriction on the size of baggage you can take on board, then for goodness's sake obey it. I've just gone through Brit, Norwegian and Dutch airports and they were obeying the regulations to the letter.

(2) I'd allow plenty of time to get through check-in. If you've obeyed instructions then you'll be fine and when it's your turn you will be through in no time. However, you cannot guarantee what others in front of you are like. Imagine my delight to be stuck in a queue behind two jackasses who thought the regulations didn't apply to them and had tried to take through just about every liquid and gel imaginable. One of them was of Indian extraction and was taken off to a separate room for an 'interview'. He was doubtless innocent (i.e. he was allowed on the flight and it didn't blow up) but I was amazed at his stupidity.

Having just read through that TSA link, I am happy to see that I can carry on my camera equipment, I have no problem checking hand lotions but had visions of some disgruntled baggage handler giving my bags the heave ho similar to the gorilla in the Samsonite commercials.

I flew to Toronto and back last week with no issues. No long lines etc...My co worker had an inhaler in his bag. It went through the machine and the 2 people said "that looks like a canister" then let him pick it up without a word and leave.

Here are my thoughts after traveling a couple of times with the new measures.

1. I think they are looking for certain shape bottles in your carry on when X-raying. A coworkers was able to get some small liquids through. I didn't have to empty my pockets completely. Just remove the metal items.
2. The gate agents are checking for bottles of water in your hand , although if it was in your carry on they have no way of knowing. Not sure what a flight attendant would do if you opened your carry on and got a bottle of water mid flight.

JFK-CDG on Air France in December. After the usual lenghty security procedures (during which my companion had to ditch some of her hair gel), we get on the plane and the food comes with a set of metal utensils.

I had to take a business trip to Charlotte not long ago, a one day affair - quick meeting and sign some papers, leave in the morning, back the same night. Naturally I had to change planes in Atlanta going each way. (If you die in the U.S. you can't get to Heaven or Hell without changing planes in Atlanta, Chicago or Houston.) I made the really serious mistake of wearing a suit with suspenders. Major pain in the butt. But I did remember to wear loafers instead of shoes with laces. Usually when I fly on longer trips I wear something loose and comfortable like sweats and sneakers with velcro closures. No metal. My wallet, pens, etc. go into my carry on. A couple of companies are now selling clothing and carry bags, even dress clothes, specifically designed to get you through airport security with a minimum of muss, fuss and bother. (Clear, "legal" sized bottles, transparent outside pockets on bags, shoes, belts and suspenders made with plastic instead of metal parts - one brand of suspenders is called "Buzz-not" - no word yet on penis pumps.)

I quit being a road warrior in 2005, but this thread brings back memories. I've only flown about 10 times since August '05, which is probably a lot by many standards, but I had elite status on a couple of airlines for over 10 years prior to that.

Back in those days, if something caused me problems in security, I got rid of it. Simple as that. I used to have a computer that always got me pulled over to the bomb sniffer (an IBM). That even got passed on to a subordinate, ASAP.

I actually flew into White Plains NY as soon as they opened the airport after 9/11. There were military types with auto rifles walking around in camo garb. The guy I was traveling with amusingly asked me why the one military guy, who was standing right next to a water fountain, had a canteen.

At the time it amused me that I couldn't bring a pair of nail clippers on board, but I could still fly, despite being a very serious student of Karate (sadly I no longer have the time). Hell, I could do more damage to someone with a decent pencil than I could with a nail clipper.

I once had the my electric screwdriver boxed up and loaded as frieght for fear of the battery.

But hell, up until the temporary ban following the shoe-bomber case, while nail-clippers were contraband, you still could bring lighters aboard. By themselves or in combination with the on-board booze could certainly do some damage. And then there were the dining utentsils (especially in first class), the metal rails of those easy-to-break seat-back trays and a half-dozen other things the could be converted into makeshift weapons.